Out of It

Brad Sucks
If you, like me, were drawn in by the colorful 8-bit image art, you are very likely to enjoy this album. The first track, "Dropping Out of School", leads you in with a videogamey keyboard solo before the electric guitar makes its first appearance. Brad’s voice, while having a melancholy texture and a hint of depression (a theme that continues throughout the album), is nothing short of pure musical greatness. In every song on the album, the vocals are a perfect fit and never feel out of place or awkward. "Dropping out of School" is one of my favorite tracks on the album.

"Certain Death" is a well done track, but not one of the best. "Fake It" is next. The lead in is a grungy electric guitar, and again, Brad’s voice is smooth and provides a very approachable texture to the song. Next is "Bad Sign", one of the best songs Brad has ever done. A catchy vocal melody, addictive electric and acoustic guitars, and a thumping-but-gentle drumbeat mesh together to provide an amazing listening experience. If you listen to only one song from this album, make sure it is "Bad Sign".

"There’s Something Wrong" is a worthy sequel to "Bad Sign". They follow a very similar instrumental layout, with an acoustic guitar to accompany the electric one. I’m not sure what it is about this setup that so intrigues me. All I know is, it sounds excellent. Afterwards is "Gasoline", the only track on the album I dislike. It feels too slow and repetitive.

The catchy lyrics are back again in "Total Breakdown". Brad leads in with "if you’re tryin’ to wreck my life, why don’t you just smile and have a good time about it / I’m always tryin’ to see the bright side of everything / you’re always down about it". The most important thing about this song is that it showcases Brad’s vocal range. While the intro is sung low, the chorus comes in at near the top of his range. Again, one of my favorite tracks.

Title track "Out of It" is the first track on the album that could be described as "optimistic". From the lyrics, I would assume it was written after a breakup ("I’ve got so much time/ to take it easy now that I/ am on my own"). Lastly, "You’re Not Going Anywhere" is a fitting and emotional finale for the album. The chorus, "I’m not saying anything you haven’t heard before / no one’s gonna wait for you to wake up anymore", will be stuck in your head for days. I promise.

I have heard a lot of music, and never before have I heard anything as passive but addictive as "Out of It" by Brad Sucks. A rhyming blend of truly legendary vocals and inventive musicianship, "Out of It" is an album that should belong in every music lover’s collection.

So with no addu I give you music that will make you happy.

(Album up for download at the artist's web page.)